I'll Always Be There
by shadyvak
Summary: Eclare one-shot after the dance in Got Your Money Pt. 2. Pure Eclare fluff with Jake and Adam!


**This is my first ever fic! Hope you all like it! Disclaimer: I don't own Degrassi. If I did, the Misfits would probably take up most of the screen time. **

"Adam! Dude, awesome show," Eli congratulated as he greeted his best friend backstage with a high five.

"Thanks, Eli. Not too long from now, you'll be taking Clare to a real Whisperhug concert." Adam took a smirking Eli by the shoulder and fantasized about his band's future success. "I _just_ might be able to get you two backstage passes…no guarantees you'll see me though, you'll have to get there before all the hot girls start lining up for me to autograph their-"

Adam was cut off by Eli's vibrating pocket. By the widening of Eli's eyes and the cheesy smile that began to overwhelm Eli's face as soon as he glanced at the screen, Adam knew it could only be-

"Clare! Hey!" Eli exclaimed, a little too loudly. Adam playfully rolled his eyes and tapped his foot in fake impatience, but he was truly grateful the three of them could be friends again. _A third wheel's better than a broken car_, Adam thought. _Or, a crashed hearse… _He smiled to himself and thought he might as well be the pain in the ass he was and listen in on Eli and Clare's conversation.

"C'mon, Clare, it's Friday night and we've officially survived our first week back at this torture chamber; I _promise_ I'll make it worth your while…" Eli said playfully with a smirk. Adam nearly barfed when he could practically see Clare biting her lip and grinning like a maniac on the other line.

"Great!" Eli's face lit up like a kid in a candy store and even concussed Drew would be able to figure out that Clare had agreed to whatever Eli proposed. "I'll come pick you up now." Eli's ridiculous smile lingered as he hung up. _I wish I had what they have,_ Adam thought. It had been less than a week since Eli and Clare got back together and it already looked like they'd never been apart. There was something about them that just made Adam happy; this kind of energy that made everyone around them know they were untouchable.

Adam ran his hand through his hair. _Enough with this romantic shit, bro! What are you, a girl?_ He shamefully pushed away his fangirl moment as Eli approached him.

"Sorry, Adam, that was Clare," he started, "you know what it's like; a guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do," Eli said as he shrugged his shoulders.

"It's cool, you two are…something else," Adam replied with a mocking shake of the head. "It's only been a week and your already whipped."

Eli punched Adam's shoulder (the one without the scar). "You're gonna pay for that one, Torres! You may have to take another bullet!"

"Save it for your diary, Eli; you know you're whipped and you don't care. Hell, you embrace it!" Adam teased.

"Shit man, you're right. But it is _Clare_ we're talking about here. I'm heading out to pick her up now," Eli confessed, giving Adam a "you're-right-no-need-to-rub-it-in" look.

"And how exactly are you planning to 'make it worth her while'?" Adam mocked, lowering his voice suggestively. Eli raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms.

"You'd be surprised. My good looks, charm, and wit never cease to impress the ladies," he replied with a smirk. He took out his phone and found a text from Clare: _Waiting outside the building now. See you soon (: _ "Well, Adam, great show, but I better go meet Clare before she becomes a full time journalist, or she might get a little pissed."

"Fine, leave me to die alone, jackass." Eli feigned hurt, but couldn't contain a chuckle. He took off through the dance, shaking his head at his crazy best friend.

As Eli pulled up to the Toronto Daily building, he saw Clare, looking beautiful as ever, sitting on a bench next to a 30-something creep. As he got closer, he realized Clare was _laughing_ at something he said, and Eli felt that familiar spark of jealousy surge through his body. _Calm down, she's just making conversation. She's _my _Clare, she said she was all in. This is nothing._

He took a deep breath before parking his mom's beat up Toyota, taking a moment to mourn Morty and get his shit together, before approaching Clare and Creepy Guy. When Clare's eyes met Eli's, they lit up like twinkly lights, her blue orbs outshining everything in sight. Eli couldn't look away; he was captured in her glance. _Shit. I'm in love with her, _he thought.

"Eli!" Clare squealed upon seeing the one person whom she could never get out of her mind. "Thanks for coming to pick me up."

"Anything for you, milady," he replied in a forced British accent while grabbing her hand and kissing it. The heat from his warm lips penetrated her gloves, and shivers ran up and down her arm. She smiled from the pleasant sensation.

Eli looked at her expectantly, and Clare realized her boss Asher was sitting next to her. It was funny how Eli made her forget about anyone else in the proximity. "Oh, so sorry! Eli, this is my boss, Mr. Asher Shostak. He's the one who selected me for this internship! Mr. Shostak, this is Eli, my boyfriend," Clare hurriedly and awkwardly introduced the two. They both gave each other hesitant looks and shook hands.

"Nice to meet you, Eli. You are one lucky young man," Asher greeted, and Eli's fake smile morphed into a frown. The spark of jealousy was starting to ignite again.

"What do you mean by that, Mr. Shostak?"

"Oh, well, you have this beautiful, talented, intelligent young woman as your girlfriend!" Asher put his hand to his mouth as if to stage whisper, "A piece of advice, don't lose her." Clare blushed like mad at Asher's compliment and Eli couldn't help but stare longingly at the rosy cheeks he so wanted to touch.

"Well, you two, I'm going to head out. Clare, don't have _too_ much fun with this one," Asher teased as he pointed to Eli, who was scowling.

Clare laughed nervously. "Okay, Mr. Shostak."

"What have I told you, newsie? Call me Asher." Eli could've sworn he even saw the creep _wink_ at Clare before he got in his car. It was all he could do not to completely flip a shit.

"So sorry, Eli, I didn't think Asher would want to be so…friendly. Let's go!" Clare stood up and took Eli's hand and it soothed him a bit, but not enough to recover from the previous incident.

"Clare. How can you be so…so… naïve? Can't you tell that creep was _hitting on you_?" He ripped his hand away from Clare's and sat on the bench, putting his face in his hands.

Clare's eyebrows furrowed. "He's so old, Eli! Did you actually think I would fall for that?" She sat next to him, putting a comforting arm around his shoulders. Eli couldn't help but lean into her touch.

"You seem awfully friendly with him, is all. And it looks like he wants to be a bit more than _friendly_ with you!" Eli was starting to fume. He clenched his fists and took a deep breath.

"Eli, I will never fall for any of his traps!" Clare took his face in her hands and made him look her in the eyes. "I'm never going to let you go. If it means that much to you, I'll stay as far away from him as possible. I'll only talk to him when I have to. There is no need to worry about anything, okay?"

Clare's words soothed him like no one else ever could. Looking into those eyes, the strongest urge of desire coursed through his veins. He needed her. He needed her _now_. He crashed his lips into hers and kissed her like never before. Clare was _his_. She took a moment to respond, but when she did, it was with equal passion and need. His tongue pried her lips open and they spent those moments tasting each other, rediscovering each other's mouths. But Clare and Eli both knew they wanted to do more, things they couldn't do on the bench outside of the Toronto Daily.

When Eli finally pulled away, he led Clare to the car. "Let's get you home, Edwards."

Eli's car pulled up to the Edwards/Martin home, and Clare quickly noticed that Glen and Helen's car was missing from the driveway. "Looks like my parents aren't home… do you want to come inside for a bit?" Clare looked at Eli pleadingly. She missed having him in her life; she wanted to spend every possible second with Mr. Goldsworthy.

"Do you even have to ask?" The couple made their way into the foyer. Eli looked around the empty house and couldn't resist grabbing Clare's waist and pulling her in for a slow, deep kiss. Neither one of them wanted to pull away, so Eli scooped Clare up off of her feet and started climbing the stairs to her room, only breaking the kiss for a brief moment before resuming.

It's an understatement to say that everyone involved was mortified when Eli and Clare, mid-kiss, literally collided with-

"JAKE! OH MY GOD!" Clare shouted, clearly embarrassed beyond words. "I, uh, um…"

"No need to explain, I'm already scarred for life," Jake responded as he offered his hand for Eli to shake. He hesitantly took it. "I'm guessing you guys are back together…?"

"No, Jake, we were clearly just making out in our upstairs hallway because we are bitter exes who hate each other," Clare said, chancing a sideways glance at Eli, who was smirking.

"Shit. I really need to start making some money off of this: 'Jake Martin: Rebound Boy Extraordinaire'. Like Imogen would say, just call me rubber to bounce things off of."

"Jake…." Clare started, but he waved her off.

"I wish you two the best. Now go finish your hot and heavy makeout session in the comfort of your _bedroom_ before things get _really _awkward. Oh, and Clare, mom and dad went for some R&R up at the cabin for the weekend, they left me in charge," Jake finished, and Clare looked at Eli, mortified, before leading him to her bedroom.

_Clare's parents gone. I'm standing in her bedroom, and she's sitting on her bed. When did fate get so kind? _Eli thought, turning to smile at Clare before tackling her into a laying position, with him completely over her. Their lips smoothly moved together, and Clare started to tug at Eli's shirt. He couldn't take it, and he helped her fragile hands maneuver the shirt over his head. Clare took a moment to admire his perfect chest, running her hand slowly over his neck, heart, and stomach.

"Your turn now, Edwards," Eli smirked.

"Who says?" Clare teased, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Hey! You don't play fair!" Eli exclaimed as he shut her up with a mind-blowing kiss and unbuttoned her blouse. Clare gave up and smiled into the kiss. She took off her shirt and this time, Eli took a moment to admire her beauty.

"You are perfect. I love you Clare Edwards."

"I love you Eli Goldsworthy."

They put their shirts back on and decided to fall asleep, fully clothed, in each other's arms. Everything was perfect.

Thanks for reading(:


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